Refrigeration



May 29, 1934. c. G. MUNTERS REFRIGERATION Filed Dec. 13, 1929 ENTOR i E; E

Patented May 29, 11934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATION Application December 13, 1929, Serial No. 413,706 In Germany May 3, 192.9

30 Claims. (Cl. 62-118) My invention relates to the art of refrigeration and particularly to refrigerating apparatus of the absorption type and still more particularly to absorption refrigerating apparatus which op- 5 erates periodically.

One of the objects of my invention is to prevent vaporous refrigerant which may pass uncondensed through the condenser from entering the evaporator. I propose to accomplish this l result by utilizing a fluid which will allow the passage of liquid refrigerant to the evaporator, but which will prevent the passage of vaporized refrigerant. This iiuid may be a gas or a liquid having a different specific gravity than that of l the refrigerant.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this 20 specification and on which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational cross-sectional View of one embodiment of my invention; and

Fig. 2 is an elevational cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the invention.

Referring specially to Fig. 1, reference character designates a generator-absorber which is arranged to be heated by any suitable means such as a gas burner 11. The `interior of generator-absorber 10 is divided into a plurality of compartments by means of members 12 through which are formed apertures 13 which allow communication between the different compartments. A conduit 14 is placed in heat exchange relationship with the outside of the generator-absorber and is intended to carry coolingwater. Insulating material 15 preferably encloses substantially all of the generator-absorber.

A conduit 16 communicates with the upper part of generator-absorber. 10 and passes within an outer conduit 17 and thence communicates with'the upper part of a collecting vessel 18. Conduit 17 is supplied with cooling water through a conduit 19 and the combination of conduits 16 and 1'? forms a condenser. Conduits 14 and 19 are connected to a two-way Valve 2O which is supplied with cooling water through a conduit 21. In one position of valve 20 water will flow from conduit 21 to conduit 14 while in the other position all the water will flow from conduit 21 to conduit 19.

The bottom of collecting vessel 18 is in open communication with an evaporator 22 by means of a tubular member 23. Member 23 extends through the insulated wall 24 of a suitable refrigerator cabinet so that evaporator 22 is within the cabinet while vessel 18 is on the outside.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The compartments of generator-absorber 10 are lled with a suitable absorbing agent which is preferably in solid form and may consist of carbon or siliceous marl or the like. This absorbing agent has the property of absorbing large volumes of certain gases, for instance ammonia.` Upon the application of heat to the generator-absorber, ammonia vapor is expelled from the absorbing agent and passes through conduit 16 where most of it is condensed within that portion of the conduit which is within cooling water conduit 17. However, particularly when the heating is first started and the pressure in the unit is low, some refrigerant vapor may pass uncondensed through the condenser and, if there is nothing to prevent it, would pass directly to the evaporator where it would condense due to the lower temperature in the evaporator than in the condenser and thus heat up the evaporator. In order to prevent passage of vaporous refrigerant to the evaporator a quantity of liquid having a less specific weight than and substantially insoluble in the refrigerant is contained within Vessel 18, evaporator 22, and member 23. n

Refrigerant liquefied in the condenser enters the upper part of vessel 18 and, having a greater specific gravity than the liquid contained therein, passes downwardly through this liquid and displaces the same from the evaporator. However, any vapor entering vessel 18 will be prevented from passing to the evaporator by the liquid in the vessel.

'Ihe heating of generator-absorber 10 is continued until such time as a proper quantity .of refrigerant has been driven therefrom, which quantity should substantially fill evaporatorl 22. Thereupon the heat supplied to the generatorabsorber is'interrupted and valve 20 is shifted to its other position so that cooling water will pass through conduit 14 instead of 19. This will cause a rapid cooling of the generator-absorber which will in turn increase the capacity -of the absorbing agent therein to absorb vaporous refrigerant. The vaporous refrigerant in the upper part of the generator-absorber and in conduit 16 will thus be absorbed, which will reduce the pressure esisting in the system. This reduced pressure acting on the liquid refrigerant in evaporator 22 will cause this refrigerant to boil and thus absorb heat from the interior of the refrigerator cabinet. The vapor resulting from this boiling will pass upwardly through the insoluble liquid in the the generator-absorber as in upper part of evaporator 22, member 23 and vessel 18 and through conduit 16 back to the generatorabsorber where it will be absorbed. When substantially all of the refrigerant has evaporated in evaporator 22 and has been absorbed, valve 20 is reversed and heat again applied to the generatorabsorber and the cycle of operation just described is repeated.

Valve 20 and burnerll are here shown as being manually operable, but any one of several means well known in the art may be employed to automatically control both of these members.

' In Fig. 2 is shown a modified form of my inven- .tion wherein a gas, inert with respect to the re- 4frigerant, is employed to prevent condensation of refrigerant vapor in the evaporator. Generatorabsorber 10. is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 1 with the exception that the solid absorbing medium is contained in only every other compartment. Conduit 16 leads from the upper part of generator-absorber and passes through a water jacket 1'1 and communicates directly with the upper part of evaporator 22, the collecting vessel=18 of Fig. 1 being omitted. Cooling water conduit 14 connected with two-way valve 20 is placed in heat exchange relation with Fig. 1.

In this modication every other compartment of the generator-absorber is preferably lled with carbon or calcium chloride or a mixture of the two. These absorbing agents will absorb a large quantity of ammonia which is here used as a refrigerant. Hydrogen is preferably used as the gas which prevents the condensation of ammonia in the evaporator.

Before generator-absorber 10 is heated, practically all the ammonia will be absorbed in the absorbing agent 'and the remainder of the space therein as well as evaporator 22 will be lled with hydrogen; Upon the application of heat to the generator-absorber, ammonia will be expelled therefrom and will pass with the hydrogen through conduit 16. A portion of the ammonia will pass through conduit 16 without being condensed, due to the low pressure existing in the system when heating isrst started. The pressure in the unit will rapidly rise and the hydrogen in evaporator 22 will be compressed. This increased pressure will facilitate the condensation of refrigerant in the condenser, but the large proportion of hydrogen present in the evaporator will maintain the partial pressure of refrigerant vapors.t'herein at so low a value that they will not condense therein. Refrigerant liquefied in the condenser will flow into evaporator 22.

When a sufficient quantity of,refrigerant has been expelled from the generator-absorber, the

.heating will be stopped and the flow of cooling water changed from conduit 1'1 to conduit 14. The generator-absorber will thus be cooled and the absorbing agent therein will begin to reabsorb the refrigerant. This will result in a reduction of pressure throughout the unit and the liquid refrigerant in evaporator 22 will evaporate.

While I have described two more or less specific embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that modifications thereof fall within its scope. Any automatic to regulate the heating and cooling and may be applied to either of the embodiments. Also, other absorbing agents, refrigerants land other combinations of absorbing agents, refrigerants or auxiliary agents may be employed and are.in tended to be included within the scope of this invention which is to means may be employed be limited only by the appletnded claims construed inthe light of the prior a As herein used, the term absorb is used generically and includes adsorb. As an example of liquid absorbent, sulphuric acid may be used with water as the refrigerant.

.What I claim is:

l. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises vaporizng a refrigerant,

reducing the temperature of the vaporized refrigerant to liquefy it, passing the liquefied refrigerant to an evaporator, preventing the passage of vaporous refrigerant to the evaporator by utilizing a liquid in which the refrigerant is substantially insoluble and evaporating the liquefied refrigerant in the evaporator.

2. That ,improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises vaporizng a refrigerant, reducing the temperature of the vaporized refrigerant to liquefy it, passing the liqueed refrigerant to an evaporator, preventing the passage of vaporous refrigerant to the evaporator by utilizing a liquid of less specific gravity than the liquid refrigerant and evaporating the liquid refrigerant in the evaporator.

3. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises vaporizng a refrigerant, reducing the temperature of the vaporized refrigerant to liquefy it, passing the liqueed ref rigerant to an evaporator, preventing the passage of vaporous refrigerant to the evaporator by utilizing a liquid yof less specific gravity than the refrigerant, and in which the refrigerant is substantially insoluble and evaporating the liquid refrigerant in the evaporator.

4. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises heating an absorbent to liberate refrigerant vapor therefrom, passing the refrigerant vapor through a region of lowered temperature in order to liquefy itl passing the liquefied refrigerant downwardly through a liquid substantially insoluble in the refrigerant and evaporating the liquefied refrigerant.

5. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises heating an absorbent to liberate refrigerant vapor therefrom, passing thel refrigerant vapor through a region of lowered temperature in order to liquefy it, passing the liquefied refrigerant through a liquid of less specific gravity than the liquid refrigerant and evaporating the liqueed refrigerant.

6. -That tion which comprises heating an absorbent to liberate refrigerant vapor therefrom, passing the refrigerant vapor through temperature in order to liquefy it, passing the liquefied refrigerant through a liquid of less spe.- cific gravity than the refrigerant and in which the refrigerant is substantially insoluble and evaporating the liquefied refrigerant.

7. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises periodically vaporizng a refrigerant, reducing the temperature of the vaporized refrigerant to liquefy it, passing the liquefied refrigerant to an evaporator, preventing the passage of vaporous refrigerant to the evaporator by utilizing a body of dissimilar liquid, evaporating refrigerant in the evaporator to pro- "dice refrigeration and passing the vaporized refrigerant back through said body of liquid.

8. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises heating a solution to expel a refrigerant vapor therefrom, reducing the temperature of said vapor to liquefy it, passing the liquefied refrigerant to an evaporator, preventimprovement in the art of refrigera`4 a region of loweredV ing the passage of vaporous refrigerant to the evaporator by utilizing a body of liquid in which the refrigerant is substantially insoluble, reducing the temperature of said solution, absorbing refrigerant vapor due to said reduced temperature and evaporating liquid refrigerant due to reduced pressure resulting from said absorption.

9. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises heating a solution to expel a refrigerant vapor therefrom, reducing the temperature of said vapor in order to liquefy it, pass- 'ing the liquefied refrigerant to an evaporator,

preventing the condensation of vaporous refrigerant in the evaporator by utilizing a iiuid which is substantially insoluble with respect to the refrigerant, reducing the temperature and pressure of said solution, absorbing refrigerant vapor due to said reduced temperature and evaporating liquid refrigerant due to reduced pressure resulting from said absorption.

10. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator-absorber containing an absorbent in which arefrigerant is absorbed, a condenser, an evaporator, a collecting vessel above said evaporator and a body of liquid in said evaporator and collecting vessel, said refrigerant being substantially insoluble in said liquid.

11. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator-absorber containing an absorbent in which a refrigerant is absorbed, a condenser, an evaporator, a collecting vessel above said evaporator and a body of liquid in said evaporator and collecting vessel, said `refrigerant having a greater specific gravity than said liquid.

12. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator-absorber containing an absorbent in which a refrigerant is absorbed, a condenser, an evaporator, a collecting vessel above said evaporator and a body of liquid in said. evaporator and collecting vessel, said refrigerant having a greater specific gravity, than, and being substantially insoluble in, said liquid.

13. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises heating an absorbent in which refrigerant is absorbed to liberate refrigerant vapor therefrom, reducing the temperature of said vapor to liquefy it, passing the liquefied refrigerant to an evaporator, preventing the condensation of vaporous refrigerant in the evaporator by interposing a fluid which is substantially insoluble with respect to said refrigerant in the path of flow of the refrigerant to the evaporator and evaporating said refrigerant in the evaporator.

14. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises heating an absorbent in which refrigerant is absorbed to liberate refrigerant vapor therefrom, reducing the temperature of said vapor to liquefy it, passing the liquefied refrigerant to an evaporator, preventing the condensation of vaporous refrigerant in the evaporator by interposing a iiuid of less specific gravity than the liquid refrigerant in the path of flow of the refrigerant to the evaporator and evaporating said liquid refrigerant in the evaporator.

15. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises heating an absorbent in which refrigerant is absorbed to liberate refrigerant vapor therefrom, reducing the temperature of said vapor to liquefy it, passing the liquefied refrigerant to an evaporator, preventing the condensation of vaporous refrigerant in the evaporator by interposing a fluid of less specific gravity than, and which is substantially insoluble with respect to, the liquid refrigerant in the path of ow of the refrigerant to 'the evaporator and evaporating said liquid refrigerant in the evaporator.

16. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises periodically vaporizing a refrigerant, reducing the temperature of the vaporized refrigerant to liquefy it, passing the liquefied refrigerant to an evaporator, preventing the passage of vaporous refrigerant to the evaporator by utilizing a body of liquid having a lower specific gravity than said liquefied refrigerant in the path of flow of the refrigerant to the evaporator, evaporating refrigerant inA the evaporator to produce refrigeration and passing the vaporized refrigerant out of the evaporator through said body of liquid.

17. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises periodically vaporizing a refrigerant, reducing the temperature of the vaporized refrigerant to liquefy it, passing the liqueed refrigerant to an evaporator, preventing the passage of vaporous refrigerant to the evaporator by interposing a body of liquid in which the refrigerant is substantially insoluble in the path 150 0f iiow of the refrigerant to the evaporator, evaporating refrigerant in the evaporator jto produce refrigeration and passing the vaporized refrigerant out of the evaporator through said body of liquid.

18. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises periodically vaporizing a refrigerant, reducing the temperature of the vaporized refrigerant to liquefy it, passing the liquefied refrigerant to an evaporator, preventing the passage of vaporous refrigerant to the evaporator by interposing a body of liquid having a lower specific gravity than said liquefied refrigerant and in which the refrigerant is substantially insoluble in the path of flow of the refrigerant to the evaporator, evaporating refrigerant in the evaporator to produce refrigeration and passing the vaporized refrigerant out of the evaporator through said body of liquid.

19. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises heating an absorbent having refrigerant absorbed therein to expel refrigerant vapor therefrom, reducing the temperature of said vapor to liquefy it, passing the liquefied refrigerant to an evaporator, preventing the passage of vaporous refrigerant to the evaporator by interposing a body of liquid having a lower specific gravity than said liquefied refrigerant in the Apathof flow of the refrigerant to the evaporator, reducing the temperature of said s olution, absorbing 'refrigerant vapor due to said reduced temperature and evaporating liquid refrigerant due to reduced pressure resulting from said absorption.

20. That improvement in the art of refrigera- 135 tion which comprises heating an absorbent having refrigerant absorbed therein to expel refrigerant vapor therefrom, reducing the temperature of said vapor to liquefy it, passing the liquefied refrigerant to an evaporator, preventing the passage 140 of vaporous refrigerant to the evaporator by interposing a body of liquid having a lower specific gravity than said liquefied refrigerant vand in which the refrigerant issubstantially insoluble in the path of flow of the refrigerant to the evaporator, reducing the temperature of said solution, absorbing refrigerant vapor due to said reduced temperature and evaporating liquid refrigerant due to reduced pressure resulting from said absorption.

21. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises heating an absorbent having refrigerant absorbed therein to expel reing refrigerant absorbed therein to expel re-` frigerant vapor therefrom, reducing the temperature of said vapor in order to liquefy it, passing the liquefied refrigerant to an evaporator,

' preventing the condensation of vaporous re- Ato frigerant in said evaporator by utilizing a fluid having a lower specific gravity than said liquefied refrigerant and in which the refrigerant is substantially insoluble, reducing the temperature and pressure of said solution, absorbing refrigerant vapor due to said reduced temperature and evaporating liquid refrigerant due to reduced pressure resulting from said absorption.

23. That improvement in the art of refrigeration which comprises heating an absorbent having refrigerant absorbed therein to expel refrigerant vapor therefrom, reducing the temperature -of said vapor in order to liquefy it, passing the liquefied refrigerant to an evaporator, preventing the condensation of vaporous refrigerant in said evaporator by maintaining the partial pressure of low due to the presence of an inert gas in the evaporator, reducing the pressure and temperature. of said absorbent, absorbing refrigerant vapor due to said reduced temperature and evaporating liquid refrigerant due to reduced pressure resulting from said absorption.

24. A refrigerating system comprising generating, absorbing, condensing and evaporating means connected to form a system, said system containing a solid absorbent, a refrigerant, and an auxiliary uid of less specic weight than the refrigerant and non-absorbable in the absorbent.

25. A refrigerating system comprising genthe refrigerant comparatively erating, absorbing, condensing and evaporating means connected to form a system, said system containing a solid absorbent, a refrigerant and a iiuid inert with respect to the refrigerant and non-absorbable in the absorbent, and means to heat and cool the system to cause the inert fluid to flow into and out of the absorber.

26. A refrigerating, system `comprising generating, absorbing, condensing and evaporating means connected to form a system, said system containing a solid absorbent, a refrigerant and a iiuid inert with respect to the refrigerant and non-absorbable in the absorbent, and means to heat and cool the system to cause the inert iiuid to ow between the labsorber and the evaporator.

27. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator-absorber containing a solid absorbent and a refrigerant, an evaporator in heat exchange relation with the objective of refrigeration, a collecting vessel substantially insulated from the objective of refrigeration and situated above the evaporator, said collecting vessel containing a fluid of less specific gravity than the refrigerant and non-absorbable yin the absorbent, a condenser, and conduits connecting the aforementionedparts to form a system.

28. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a generator-absorber containing a solid absorbent comprising calcium chloride and containing ammonia, an evaporator in heat exchange relation with the objective of refrigeration, a collecting vessel substantially insulated from the objective of refrigeration and situated above the evaporator, said collecting vessel containing hydrogen, a condenser, and conduits connecting the aforementioned parts to form a system.

29. That improvement in intermittent type refrigeration which consists in maintaining the space above liquid refrigerant in the evaporator always filled with an additional fluid lighter than the refrigerant for preventing condensation in the evaporator.

30. That improvement in intermittent type refrigeration which consists in maintaining' the space above liquid refrigerant in the evaporator always filled with an additional fluid lighter than the refrigerant for preventing condensation in the evaporator and providing a collecting space for the additional iiuid above the evaporator to take care of variations in quantity of liquid refrigerant in the evaporator.

CARL GEORG MUNTERS. 

